Triumphant (Genesis Fleet, The)

by Jack Campbell

  “That’s . . .” Lochan spread his hands. “They were talking strategy or something. Tactics. There wouldn’t be any need to include us in—wait. Did you say Captain Derian was part of that conference?”

  “I did not,” Freya said. “Captain Derian wasn’t included.”

  Lochan stared at her. “What would they have been talking about that they didn’t want Derian to know?”

  “That’s a fine question, isn’t it? What is it our new friends and allies are hiding from us?”

  CHAPTER 15

  “What the hell are you doing, Rob?” Saber was far enough from the planet by now for a conversation to be impossible due to the time lag as light itself required several minutes to make the journey between them.

  Ninja’s image looked out at him, exhausted and bewildered. “I thought we’d done our part. I thought you’d done what you had to. The other ships can handle the enemy. Rob, why are you risking your life again?”

  She looked down. “It’s because of them, isn’t it? You know they’ll go on to the fight without you. Rob, you’re killing me. I know who you are. I know what you think you have to do. But please. Let this be the last time.

  “I’m going to see what else I can do. Mele was able to get her hands on a lot of the enemy codes and passwords when their ground forces surrendered. I think I can crack into those two warships now. But give me a break, okay? Come home when this is done. I love you. Lyn, out.”

  She’d called herself Lyn instead of using her nickname. Rob closed his eyes, thinking, knowing the signal that sent. Ninja was absolutely serious about this. She wouldn’t demand he quit this job. But she couldn’t handle him staying in it.

  And he couldn’t blame her.

  But even then, she knew he had to see this through, and was going to be by his side, in the virtual sense, when he did.

  “Captain?” Lieutenant Commander Shen stood in the doorway. “Can we talk fuel?”

  “Yeah.” Rob called up the image of Saber’s path through space, a great arc ending light hours ahead where it crossed the projected path of the fleeing enemy warships. “We can make this intercept.”

  “We can. How low are you willing to go on fuel cell reserves?”

  “How low are we talking about?”

  “Captain, we had to use a lot of fuel cells while dancing with the enemy before this. When we catch them this time, we’ll be at fifteen percent. That’s enough to get home, where shuttles hidden on the surface will be able to haul more fuel cells up to us. But . . .”

  Shen grimaced, looking to the side. “We’ll be at fifteen percent fuel reserves, pretty beat up, some of our weapons out of action, even before we engage the enemy again. And then, when that fight is over, we’ll be at less than fifteen percent, probably beat up some more, near four destroyers belonging to other star systems.”

  “You don’t think Commander Derian would betray us, do you?” Rob asked, surprised.

  “Not Derian, no. He’s committed to repaying the debt owed to us from Kosatka, and I had time there to learn what kind of person he is. But the other three . . . I don’t know.”

  “I thought you were acquainted with Bard Hubbard and Tanya . . . the Wicked. Does she have a last name?”

  “Nobody uses it. Yes, sir, I am, but . . . I have to worry about what orders they might have.” Shen shook her head. “I’m probably being paranoid.”

  “That’s your job. Anticipate problems.” Rob rubbed the back of his head as he thought. “Do you know anyone else on those new ships you could talk to? Someone who might be able to either reassure us or warn us?”

  “I don’t know. Earth Fleet was pretty big before it got really small really fast. Even the officers I know, like Hubbard, I don’t really know. I’ve just heard their names and something about their reputations. But I can try.”

  “That’d be natural, wouldn’t it?” Rob asked. “You seeing if there was anyone on those ships who was an old friend, someone you wanted to connect with?”

  “It would be natural,” Shen said. “Permission to proceed with that?”

  “Granted. For the time being, I’m assuming that these ships are what they say they are. But it doesn’t hurt to do a little checking with anyone you might know.”

  “And the fuel cell situation? You’ll have to personally authorize going that low on reserves, and entering combat in that state.”

  “I’ll authorize it,” Rob said. “I’m reading the crew right, aren’t I? They want to be in on the kill of those enemy warships.”

  “Yes, sir, they do,” Lieutenant Commander Shen said. “You don’t always have to give the crew what they want, but in this case I think it will be an important precedent that those ships be defeated with the active participation of Saber. Otherwise someone will always want to hang an asterisk on our defense of this star system, saying it was actually won by someone else.”

  “Yeah,” Rob agreed. “Do you know what ‘asterisk’ originally meant?”

  “I guess not.”

  “A little star. Literally a minor star. That’s ironic, isn’t it? Glenlyon is sort of a minor star, nothing special about it. But maybe we’ve been at the center of something really important.”

  Vicki Shen smiled. “Maybe we have been. Maybe someday your name will be in histories.”

  Rob surprised himself with a laugh. “If it is, there’ll definitely be an asterisk next to it.”

  * * *

  • • •

  “Four hours remaining to intercept with the enemy warships?” Freya Morgan asked Captain Sori.

  Lochan Nakamura, who always felt like an unwelcome intruder on the small, crowded bridge of the destroyer, stood uncomfortably to one side as Sori glanced at Freya. “That is correct.”

  “Would you be free for a private meeting?” Freya asked.

  “There are preparations to be made before battle. Is the reason for this meeting an urgent one?”

  “It could be,” Freya said.

  “I see.” Sori looked from Freya to Lochan, then back again before facing the senior watch officer on the bridge. “I’ll be in my stateroom. I expect to return within ten minutes.”

  She led the way off the bridge and to the small room not far away that held the grand name of Captain’s Stateroom. There was barely room inside for the three of them, Sori taking the sole seat and gazing at them impassively. “What is urgent?”

  “Meetings,” Freya said. “Meetings that don’t involve everyone they should.”

  Sori smiled slightly. “You’re disturbed by the conference I held with the commanding officers of the two ships from Eire? Yes, Freya Morgan, my crew did detect your intrusion into our systems. Since you did no damage, I decided not to make an issue of what could have been interpreted as an unfriendly act.”

  Lochan had to admire the way that Sori had quickly shifted the burden of accusation from her actions to those of Freya Morgan, and done so using polite terms that didn’t leave Freya grounds for an angry rebuttal. But he also couldn’t let her dodge the issue so easily. “Holding meetings that are kept secret from representatives of star systems who are supposedly allies could also be interpreted as an unfriendly act,” he said. “We’re concerned about what that could imply.”

  “Do you accuse me of acting falsely toward you?”

  She was good, Lochan admitted to himself, using respectful language to divert questions and use the questions themselves as a means to put her questioners off-balance. “No one is accusing anyone of anything. We’re curious as to what issues were judged to not involve the representatives of Kosatka and Catalan, as well as Captain Derian.”

  “We’re preparing for battle, Citizen Nakamura. You and Citizen Morgan are not combat officers.”

  “And Captain Derian?” Freya asked.

  “Shark still carries damage from her last encounters with the enemy. We discussed means
to honorably limit the exposure of Shark to further damage without insult to her crew and captain.”

  “That was the only matter discussed?” Lochan asked.

  Captain Sori gazed at him. “Of course not.”

  He let some frustration show. “Captain, this is still a very new and very fragile alliance. Any hint of grounds for distrust or secrecy between us could break these bonds before they strengthen. Surely you understand that.”

  “What possible gain would Benten and Eire achieve by betraying Kosatka and Catalan?”

  She’d neatly turned the question back on him. Lochan shook his head. “I see why you’re in command of this force. Captain, Kosatka has been repeatedly attacked. So has Glenlyon, whose people I still feel an obligation to represent as I was asked to by Citizen Camagan. Catalan has been effectively blockaded. Put yourself in our places. We have every reason based on our experiences to distrust other star systems. We chose to trust Benten and Eire anyway.”

  “Despite the flaws and ambitions of Eire’s leader,” Freya added. “Lochan couldn’t say that, but I can.”

  “Do you and the ships from Eire have orders of which Freya and I are unaware?” Lochan asked. “Please just tell us. We’ve risked a great deal by accepting your offers of help, and want to feel nothing but gratitude.”

  Captain Sori rested her chin on one fist as she studied Lochan and Freya. “Do you think we’re a danger to your star systems?”

  “There are people in our star systems who fear that. And our mutual enemies would like nothing better than to sow suspicion between us and break up our cooperation as quickly as possible.”

  “Let me put it this way,” Captain Sori said, her eyes closely watching both Lochan and Freya. “Can you accept that the self-interests of Benten and Eire might also benefit Kosatka and Catalan?”

  “What does that mean?” Freya asked.

  “It means my ship, and those of Eire, will not turn around from here. Once we’ve defeated the force that has attacked Glenlyon, we have orders to continue on to Scatha and destroy any pirates or hostile warships we encounter.”

  “Scatha?” Lochan stared at the captain, then at Freya. “Why?”

  “They’re your enemy. Why do you need another reason?”

  “Because you’re risking your ships,” Freya said. “What is my father up to?”

  “Pirates,” Lochan said, having seized on that word. “What about after Scatha?”

  Sori looked at him for a moment before replying. “On to Hesta, then to Catalan, to return Citizen Morgan to her home in suitable style.”

  “Oh, my ancestors,” Freya said with a sigh. “There’s my father’s hand. Even if he’s disowned me he still wants a Morgan given all the pomp and ceremony he can arrange.”

  “And from Catalan?” Lochan pressed. “On through connecting star systems until you return back through Kosatka?”

  “Those are our orders,” Sori said.

  “Pirates. Your other mission is to clear trade routes,” Lochan said. “Benten and Eire derived a lot of income from the trade that has been flowing through their star systems en route to more distant stars in this region. That trade has been choked off by the actions of Apulu, Turan, and Scatha, including the pirates they’ve been sponsoring. You’re going to sweep the stars of those pirates, and make sure everyone knows your star systems intend to keep those routes open from now on, using joint military action when necessary.”

  “Very succinct,” Captain Sori said. “Yes.”

  “Why did you think Catalan would object to that?” Freya asked.

  “It expands the conflict,” Sori replied. “In the eyes of some. It expands the commitments of the star systems involved. Benten and Eire were willing to make such commitments. We had no sense that Kosatka or Catalan would agree at this stage, so the decision was made to take action using our ships.”

  “The conflict is already there,” Freya said. “This also has the hand of my father on it. He wanted trade opened up, and didn’t want to deal with any obstacles raised by Lochan or myself.”

  “The representatives from Benten also agreed,” Sori said.

  “You should have included us in this matter,” Lochan said. “Yes, both Kosatka and Glenlyon were concerned primarily with active, ongoing attacks against them, but we’ve both suffered from the actions of Scatha, Apulu, and Turan that have been strangling trade.”

  “Catalan,” Freya said, “has yet to face active attack, but the whole point of my mission was to open up free trade again.”

  “The decision was not made by me,” Captain Sori said. “Time was judged critical. That’s all I know.”

  “Why wasn’t this brought up while we were at Kosatka?” Lochan asked. “I could’ve asked the government to sign on with this.”

  “How much extra time would it have taken for the government of Kosatka to debate and vote on that extra issue?” Sori asked him. “Especially as it would have involved more risk for Kosatka’s lone warship? I judged it more important to have Shark with us when we reached Glenlyon, for the symbolism that would add to our mission, and for us to reach Glenlyon as quickly as possible in case our support was needed urgently. I believe that you must agree I judged right in those matters. Even a single day more of delay might have been too long for the defenders on that orbital facility.”

  Lochan grimaced, but finally offered a reluctant nod. “You probably were right. As much as I would’ve preferred resolving that issue then, it would’ve been a big complicating factor. But now is different.”

  “How so? The government of Kosatka has not agreed to the larger mission concerning clearing trade routes in this region. That cannot be changed.”

  He offered her a thin smile. “Captain Sori, I am a representative of the government of Kosatka. The authority given me to represent the interests of Kosatka was not changed while we passed through my star system. I admit that’s because no one thought it might need to be changed, but the fact remains. I can still make preliminary agreements and commitments in the name of Kosatka.”

  Sori’s gaze on Lochan grew more intense. “Are you saying that you would be willing to commit Shark to accompany us? I admit that would please me. The increase in our firepower and capabilities, as well as the political impact of having warships from three star systems in this force, would be welcome.”

  “I’m saying that I’m willing to consider it,” Lochan said. “If I’m allowed to freely discuss the matter with Captain Derian, and with the captains of the two ships from Eire. No restrictions. Full discussion.”

  She nodded to him. “I will authorize that. What of Catalan, Citizen Freya? You have no warship here, but if you can speak for Catalan as well . . .”

  “I’m not sure I can commit to that,” Freya said. “I’ll sit in on Lochan’s discussions, and see what’s possible. As I said, Catalan sent me out to reopen the trade routes. This is what we want.”

  “What of Glenlyon?” Lochan asked. “Should we see if they want to send their warship, Saber?”

  “It’s unlikely that will be an option.” Captain Sori turned to call up some data on her desk display. “This is what our sensors have reported on Saber. She took extensive damage while crippling the main propulsion on the enemy light cruiser. It was a brave and heroic attack, and accomplished its goal, but with that amount of damage I would be uncomfortable having Saber accompany us on jumps to multiple star systems even if she has sufficient fuel reserves aboard to handle such a journey.”

  “Yet you altered the vectors of this force to ensure Saber participated in our attack on the enemy,” Freya said.

  “They earned that,” Sori said. “I will not deny them a role in that action.”

  “They should still be asked,” Lochan said. “From my discussions with Leigh Camagan, Glenlyon has the same pride that afflicts any group of humans. They might not be able to assist in clearing trade r
outes, they may not want to participate even if Saber is judged capable of the mission, but they will want to be asked, to be treated as equals who’d be capable of contributing and carrying their share of the load.”

  “Would you extend that offer to them?” Sori asked Lochan. “As a diplomat trusted by Glenlyon, you’re in a better position to do so than I am. If you do so, emphasize that we cannot wait around for a decision. We don’t have the luxury of lingering at Glenlyon while the matter is debated here.”

  “If that’s an accurate picture of how badly Saber was damaged,” Freya said, “they won’t debate it long. But, yes, I agree with Lochan that they’ll want to be asked.”

  Sori stood up. “Then if this matter is resolved, I will return to the bridge. We have a battle to fight in . . . three hours and forty-five minutes.”

  “It’s resolved,” Freya said, “for now. But happy as I am to know I’ll be returning home in style with a mission completed to the benefit of Catalan, I’d be happier if I’d known of it from the start. Trust begins at home.”

  “Many things begin at home,” Captain Sori said.

  “You’re not going to get me started there.”

  “I was told to inform you at the right time,” Sori added. “Since you were a most reasonable individual I did not believe that would pose any problems.”

  “A most reasonable individual? Who the hell told you that lie about me?” Freya demanded.

  Sori waved one hand toward Lochan. “Perhaps it was a friend of yours. If you’ll excuse me.” She passed them, headed back to the bridge.

  “Did you tell people that I’m reasonable?” Freya demanded.

  Lochan tried his best to look baffled by the question. “Not that I . . . well . . . I might have said compared to your father . . .”

  “That’s a very low bar to cross, Lochan. Don’t you think you should be putting in a call to Commander Derian? You need to get a feel for how he’d see participating in that trade-route-clearing mission. And, Lochan,” she added with a warning expression, “don’t think your government will take this decision lightly if you commit Shark to a long trip to potential battles at other stars. That’s a big thing to take on yourself. You might be deciding your own future as well as that of Kosatka.”